Best time to visit Funchal
Re-score for me — drag the dial — every chart recolours live for your heat & sea limits 27°C · sea 29°C
Default 27 °C is the upper edge of the Holiday Climate Index "ideal comfort" band (Scott, Rutty, Amelung & Tang, 2016). Above this, most warm-tourism travellers report measurable discomfort.
Default 29 °C is the Beach Climate Index "bathtub" line (Morgan et al.) — where the sea stops being refreshing and starts feeling like a warm bath.
How is this scored? HCI / Steadman / CCI gate — full methodology and citations below.
Compare with another destination
Add as many as you like — stacked below the main strips above. Each row is just the recent-window score strip and (for beach destinations) sea-temperature strip.
Tours in Funchal
19 top-rated tours via Viator. Booking links earn this site a commission at no cost to you. Map locations are approximate (centred on Funchal).
- 1
MADEIRA PRIVATE 4X4 Jeep Tour - 2
Full Day Jeep Safari East - Pico do Areeiro - Santana - Ponta de são Lourenço - 3
Skywalk with Wines Tasting and Vineyards Half day 4x4 Adventure - 4
Private Waterfalls and Fanal Forest Tour - 5
Levada do Moinho and Levada Nova - Private - 6
Madeira Dolphin and Whale Watching on a Ecological Catamaran - 7
Madeira East Island Tour with Rum Tasting - 8
Rabaçal 25 Fontes and Risco Hike with Local Host - 9
Levada do Rei PR18 Scenic Hike in Madeira with Transfer Service - 10
Visiting local Vineyard With Wine Tasting & Lunch included - 11
Responsible Whales and/or Dolphins Watching Tour - 12
Self Guided Transfer to Ponta de São Lourenço Natural Reserve - 13
Full-Day Santana Madeira Island Tour Amazing Straw Houses - 14
Private Tour West Madeira - 15
VipDolphins Luxury Whale Watching - 16
Jeep Tour Amazing West to Natural Pools -Full-Day - 17
Porto Moniz, Seixal, Fanal Forest, Cliff Skywalk in Open Roof 4X4 - 18
Full-Day Jeep Safari West: Fanal, Porto Moniz, Seixal, Cabo Girão - 19
Whale and Dolphin Watching Tour in Madeira
Last refreshed 2026-05-27.
Similar climatesPositano86% · Lisbon86% · Naples86%
Other destinations with the most-alike year-round climate to Funchal (apparent temperature, rain hours, sunshine — matched within the same trip-profile). The ±N chip compares each match's typical score for the current month against Funchal's. Based on the 2020-2024 climatology, not this year's actual weather.
Month-by-month
| Month | Temp °C | Feels °C | Rain days | Rain h | Rain h/day | Humidity | Wind km/h | Sun h | UV | Interest | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 12–16 | 15 | 11 | 164 | 14.9 | 74% | 15 | 187 | 3 | Quiet | 6 |
| Feb | 11–17 | 16 | 10 | 123 | 12.3 | 72% | 16 | 202 | 4 | Quiet | 7 |
| Mar | 11–17 | 16 | 13 | 190 | 14.6 | 70% | 15 | 233 | 6 | Quiet | 6 |
| Apr | 12–18 | 17 | 11 | 151 | 13.7 | 69% | 15 | 246 | 7 | Quiet | 7 |
| May | 14–20 | 19 | 9 | 117 | 13.0 | 66% | 14 | 277 | 8 | Quiet | 8 |
| Jun | 15–21 | 21 | 12 | 162 | 13.5 | 71% | 14 | 278 | 9 | Quiet | 7 |
| Jul | 17–24 | 24 | 3 | 31 | 10.3 | 64% | 12 | 296 | 10 | Quiet | 10 |
| Aug | 18–25 | 26 | 4 | 51 | 12.8 | 60% | 13 | 280 | 9 | Peak | 10 |
| Sep | 17–23 | 24 | 14 | 154 | 11.0 | 68% | 13 | 242 | 7 | Busy | 7 |
| Oct | 17–22 | 23 | 13 | 158 | 12.2 | 66% | 14 | 221 | 5 | Moderate | 7 |
| Nov | 14–19 | 19 | 11 | 147 | 13.4 | 72% | 14 | 199 | 4 | Peak | 7 |
| Dec | 13–17 | 16 | 14 | 194 | 13.9 | 77% | 16 | 188 | 3 | Busy | 6 |
UV Index in Funchal by Month
UV index in Funchal peaks at 10 (very high) in July, dropping to 3 (low) in December. May, June, July, August reach very high or extreme levels — apply SPF 50+, wear a hat and protective clothing, and limit direct sun between 11:00 and 17:00.
Best months in detail
July
10/1017–24°C · 3 rain days (31h) · 296 sun hours · 64% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 10 (very high)
August
10/1018–25°C · 4 rain days (51h) · 280 sun hours · 60% humidity · Peak crowd · UV 9 (very high)
May
8/1014–20°C · 9 rain days (117h) · 277 sun hours · 66% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 8 (very high)
Every month
Show the other 9 months in detail
January
6/1012–16°C (feels 15°C) · 11 rain days (164h) · 187 sun hours · 74% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 3 (low) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 3 (moderate)
February
7/1011–17°C (feels 16°C) · 10 rain days (123h) · 202 sun hours · 72% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 4 (moderate)
March
6/1011–17°C (feels 16°C) · 13 rain days (190h) · 233 sun hours · 70% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 6 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 8 (high)
April
7/1012–18°C · 11 rain days (151h) · 246 sun hours · 69% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 7 (high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 9 (very high)
June
7/1015–21°C · 12 rain days (162h) · 278 sun hours · 71% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 9 (very high)
September
7/1017–23°C · 14 rain days (154h) · 242 sun hours · 68% humidity · Busy crowd · UV 7 (high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 8 (very high)
October
7/1017–22°C · 13 rain days (158h) · 221 sun hours · 66% humidity · Moderate crowd · UV 5 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 7 (high)
November
7/1014–19°C · 11 rain days (147h) · 199 sun hours · 72% humidity · Peak crowd · UV 4 (moderate)
December
6/1013–17°C · 14 rain days (194h) · 188 sun hours · 77% humidity · Busy crowd · UV 3 (low) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 3 (moderate)
Frequently asked questions about visiting Funchal
When is the best time to visit Funchal?
July is the highest-scoring month (10/10 on the Holiday Climate Index). Typical conditions: 17–24°C (3 rainy days). The top three months by score are July, August, May.
What is the worst time to visit Funchal?
December is the lowest-scoring month (6/10). Typical conditions: 13–17°C (14 rainy days).
When are crowds lowest in Funchal?
Search-interest seasonality (Google Trends 2021-2025) is lowest in April and peaks in November. Interest tracks both in-trip visitors and lead-time planners, so treat it as a "destination is on people's minds" signal rather than literal arrivals.
Which months in Funchal have good weather but fewer tourists?
July (climate 10/10, crowd index 20) and May (climate 8/10, crowd index 10) — shoulder months with above-average climate and below-median search-interest. Often the best value-for-weather trade.
What is the UV index in Funchal by month?
UV peaks at 10 (very high) in July and is lowest in December at 3 (low). Monthly peak values: Jan 3, Feb 4, Mar 6, Apr 7, May 8, Jun 9, Jul 10, Aug 9, Sep 7, Oct 5, Nov 4, Dec 3. May, June, July, August reach very high or extreme levels — apply SPF 50+, wear a hat and protective clothing, and limit direct sun between 11:00 and 17:00.
What is the UV index in Funchal in July?
July is the peak UV month in Funchal, with a daily-peak UV index of 10 (very high). At this level, sunburn can occur in under 20 minutes on unprotected fair skin. Apply SPF 50+, wear protective clothing and a hat, and avoid direct midday sun (11:00–17:00).
How high can UV get in Funchal on the sunniest days?
Most days look like the monthly average, but on the sunniest ~1 in 10 days UV climbs higher than the mean suggests. April is the worst case: typical days average UV 7 (high), but the top 10% of days reach UV 9 (very high) — and even higher. Months where the sunniest days routinely exceed the typical reading: January, March, April, September, October, December. Plan sun protection for the worst case, not the average.
Is air quality in Funchal bad for travelers?
PM2.5 (fine-particle pollution) exceeds the WHO sensitive-group guideline (15 µg/m³) in 1 month: February. The worst month is February with a typical-day mean of 9 µg/m³ (fair); on the worst 10% of days PM2.5 reaches 21 µg/m³ (unhealthy for sensitive) and higher. People with asthma, heart conditions, or sensitive children may want to avoid these months or limit outdoor activity. Source: CAMS via Open-Meteo.